Reviews

Gr 4-6 In his fourth adventure, Rowan comes face to face with the
dreaded Zebak tribe. Generations earlier, the people of Rin had
been its warrior slaves, and had fought to earn their freedom. On
what should be the happiest of days, Rowan keeps receiving warnings
of danger, but decides to keep quiet until after his mother marries
Strong Jonn. Unfortunately, before he can tell anyone, his little
sister is snatched by a fanged, flying grach. With the help of
friends from previous outings-and of course a few magical poems
courtesy of Rin's always cranky wise woman, Sheba-Rowan makes his
way across the sea and through the Wastelands, to the fortress of
steel that is the Zebak's stronghold. There, mysteries of the past
are revealed, new friends are made, and Annad is rescued. Rowan is
not the flashiest of heroes, but in each story he grows a little
more confident. He has become a quiet but able leader, one who
listens and learns and inspires his followers to do their best.
This story, like its predecessors, is filled with mystery, magic,
and plenty of twists and turns. Fans of the series will rejoice and
newcomers will want to go back to the beginning and read about
Rowan's earlier adventures. -Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public
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